The unofficial new units thread

[Apache]

What JLV said. Alot of the tech (drones, LADs, whatever) can safely be subsumed into the game assumptions.

In short, keep it simple, keep it neat.

[DSumner]

Originally Posted by JLV

Wow. I seem to have shut down discussion on this topic, and for that I sincerely apologize.

I do LIKE READING THE NEW UNIT TYPES, and I'm very sincere in my praise for the folks thinking this stuff up. It may not be my personal cup o' joe, but that's me, and should DEFINITELY not stop you guys from continuing the discussion -- besides, there ARE some clever rules ideas and some outstandingly clever units in the list on this thread.

So please, just remember that my opinion on all of this is worth exactly what you paid for it, and PLEASE continue the discussion!

v/r
Jeff

No worries, I think it's just been a while, and there is a LOT of material to read over (and yes, I'm partially to blame).

[FJCestero]

I agree. Subsume where you can... which is not to say you can't have new variety, but it shouldn't be of the gimmicky kind. Each addition should occupy a clear ecological niche on the battlefield, so to speak.

JLV pretty much summed it up (he only shut down the debate in the same way Shakespeare shut down English literature, or Michelangelo shut down the painting of chapels).

--Francisco

[DSumner]

I'm surprised I never posted this, as I sent it to Henry Cobb many moons ago (Way back in March of 2001).

Combat Engineering Vehicle - C.E.V.

Now that there are Combat Engineers in OGRE/GEV I think they need a little additional protection on the battlefield. Most modern armies use some type of armored vehicle for forward area engineering tasks. The Israeli's have a new vehicle out that's equipped with reactive armor, smoke dischargers (both regular and hot smoke) IR jammers, and some other goodies. I figure that in the Ogre universe, they would also have some type of point defense system, radar and laser jammers, recon/scout drones, and other advanced equipment.

Combat Engineering Vehicle (CEV) have an Attack Strength of 1, a Range of 2 (4"), a Defense of 3, and a move of 3 (6"), Move: HVY, 9 VP if destroyed.

CEV's are based on a modified Heavy Tank chassis, with most of the weapons systems removed and outfitted with additional defensive systems. Most of the Heavy's weapons would be replaced by engineering equipment and towing gear (Winch, back ho, and dozer blade). CEVs can detect, clear and lay mines. Cut or repair roads, plant demolition charges, etc., just like Combat Engineers; it can also tow vehicles, clear forest, and rubble hexes, and dig revetments.

I'm thinking that it could construct a Small Revetment in (2) two turns, and a large revetment in (3) three turns. It would take one turn, of it doing nothing else, to sweep a hex for mines, and one turn to clear it (it'd use drones and sensors to sweep the hex, and a special charge clear it). It could mine (1) one hex (2") of terrain in (1) one turn (that's for modern smart mines, dumb mines would take longer as they'd have to take the time to plant the mines).

[JLV]

Now THAT's a nice add to the game -- just using the rules as written and delivering a new toy that helps the game along a bit.

That's the kind of thing I'm talking about earlier when I noted there were some really clever design ideas out there. Hope Steve includes something like it in whatever the expansion turns out to be next year!

[Buzzardo]

If Steve goes down the construction route for the expansion and gives us vulcans and engineers and revetments and so on, I hope something like that CEV is in there, too. Good shot.

[DSumner]

Originally Posted by JLV

Now THAT's a nice add to the game -- just using the rules as written and delivering a new toy that helps the game along a bit.

That's the kind of thing I'm talking about earlier when I noted there were some really clever design ideas out there. Hope Steve includes something like it in whatever the expansion turns out to be next year!

Thanks guys, I shot idea for the CEV off to Henry Cobb many moons ago, he posted to the Ogre Mailing List, and then I just sort of forgot about it.

[offsides]

Originally Posted by DSumner

Combat Engineering Vehicle - C.E.V.

IIRC, that looks suspiciously similar to the Vulcan drones, which makes a lot of sense - same general purpose, just a different facility. Perhaps there's some way to correlate the 2 going forward...

[DSumner]

Originally Posted by offsides

IIRC, that looks suspiciously similar to the Vulcan drones

Well while it may look similar, here's the link to my original post from 2001 - http://www.sjgames.com/ogre/archives/2001/gevmar28.txt

[offsides]

Originally Posted by DSumner

Well while it may look similar, here's the link to my original post from 2001 - http://www.sjgames.com/ogre/archives/2001/gevmar28.txt

Oh, don't get me wrong - I wasn't claiming you copied the Vulcan drone, just that they were cut from the same cloth (convergent evolution? :)) and that the drone could serve as a good rationale for including the CEV as well. Sorry if I came across that way - I see now that my wording was less than ideal...

CEVs are a long-standing tradition among combat engineers (and even non-engineers - many "normal" tanks had blades or other mine/obstacle-clearing devices mounted on them in WW2), and would make a lot of sense to add when they come along.